5 SCREEEECH!

CHAPTER 5 SCREEEECH! Like a secret agent in sneakers, Alexander crept through the empty cafeteria. Some lunch ladies and a lunch man were busy cooking something green with purple chunks. Or is it purple with green chunks? thought Alexander. A small blackboard hung on the wall.

MENU MONDAY CHEF'S CHOICE TUESDAY CHEF'S 2nd CHOICE WEDNESDAY LEFTOVERS OF CHEF'S 1st CHOICE THURSDAY CHEF'S NEXT-TO-LAST CHOICE FRIDAY THE CHEF HAD NO SAY IN THE MATTER. Alexander took down the blackboard. Okay, he thought. I just need to bring this to Mr. Hoarsely and DING! The elevator doors slid open. Alexander dove behind a fake fern, almost dropping the blackboard. and here we have the last part of our tour: the cafeteria," said Principal Vanderpants.

Alexander peeked over the fake fern. Ms. Vanderpants came out of the elevator, followed by a masked woman in padded clothing. "Terrific," said the masked woman. Or maybe she had said "Jurassic." Her voice was muffled by the mask. "I'm pleased you could fill in on such short notice," said Ms. Vanderpants. "It's unlike Mr. Hoarsely to just disappear."

Disappear? thought Alexander. The two women walked into the cafeteria. Alexander clutched the blackboard and slipped into the elevator just before the doors closed. He pushed 1 for the first-floor lobby. DING! Alexander burst out of the elevator. He looked out the lobby window: The ground was carpeted with night crawlers. The sky was still overcast, but the clouds were thinning out. He sprinted to the front desk. "Mr. Hoarsely! I need your—" Alexander stopped short. The desk was a mess. Papers were scattered about. The phone was off the hook. And Mr. Hoarsely was not there.

Alexander picked up the receiver. "Hello?" Silence. Alexander hung up the phone. Mr. Hoarsely has disappeared, he thought. And it looks like he left in a hurry! The room brightened. A sunbeam broke through the clouds, shining on the worms below. "No!" Alexander lunged across the desk and grabbed the microphone. "Take this!" he yelled, raking his fingernails across the blackboard. SCREEEEECH! A terrible sound thundered through the building. Oops, thought Alexander. The microphone was still set to INSIDE.

DING! The elevator doors slid open. "Alexander!" Ms. Vanderpants rushed out. "We do not play on the intercom!" Alexander quickly flipped the switch to OUTSIDE and scratched the blackboard again. SCREEEEECH! He looked out the window. The night crawlers were now bathed in sunlight. But they just kept wiggling. None of them grew as big as a school bus, and none of them ate anyone. I was wrong, thought Alexander. They're just plain old worms. He relaxed a little. "Everyone's going to be fine," he said. A firm hand squeezed his shoulder. "I don't think everyone's going to be fine," said Ms. Vanderpants. "My office. Now."